Am dram round-up: Black Country and Shrewsbury shows for your entertainment - what's on and where
Amongst all the modern shows which amateur companies are keen to perform these days, one of the very best, traditional musicals, Hello Dolly, still holds its head high.
Stourbridge Amateur Operatic Society (SAOS) has chosen this Jerry Herman classic as its latest offering and will perform the show at Stourbridge Town Hall Theatre from October 21 to 27.
The plot tells the story of the incomparable Dolly Levi, a widowed matchmaker determined to find a rich husband, and so travels to Yonkers to woo Horace Vandergelder, a local billionaire. But the course of love rarely goes smoothly and when Dolly finds out Horace is in love with hat maker Irene Molloy, she sets out to matchmake for everyone involved to ensure she gets her man.
Hello Dolly first graced the stage on Broadway in 1964 with Carol Channing in the title role, before transferring to London’s West End the following year. A host of stage versions followed, as did the memorable movie version starring Barbara Streisand as Dolly later in the decade.
The songs are uplifting and certainly tunes you will want to sing along to, including Put on your Sunday Clothes, Elegance, It Only Takes a Moment, Ribbons Down My Back and Before the Parade Passes By to name but a few. This show oozes good musical numbers and is guaranteed to have you singing and dancing all the way home.
In the SAOS production, no less than three members of the same family are appearing in leading roles. Rachel Davies plays Dolly, whilst her husband Leon plays Horace and their son Ethan appears as Barnaby Tucker. Not only that but Rachel’s mother Judith Horton played the role of Dolly 28 years ago, so Rachel has big shoes to fill!
For a lovely evening at the theatre, visit seaty.co.uk/saos-hellodolly or call 07729 622203 or email tickets@stourbridgeoperatic.co.uk to book.
In Wolverhampton, Studio 61 theatre group is presenting its own composition Three Degrees East at the Wolverhampton Arts Centre from November 12 to 14.
The play is written by one of the group’s members, Andy Alsop, and directed by his wife Jane, and is based on a true story set in 1916 during the First World War.
Using the music of the era to set the scene, the play tells the tale of William Martin, a Birmingham-born trawler captain in Grimsby, who on a fishing trip in the North Sea encounters a downed Zeppelin, which was returning from a bombing raid on the West Midlands including Tipton.
The captain sadly has to make the decision to abandon the crew to their fate because he is worried they may overpower his crew.
Could you make that split-second decision in an attempt to save the lives of your fellow man?
The best dramas are based on real-life tales and I am sure this one will be no exception.
For tickets, click here or visit the Studio 61 Facebook page.
From November 6 to 8 at the Aquarius Ballroom in Hednesford, Brownhills Musical Theatre Company (BMTC) will be presenting a concert entitled Musicals Unplugged: Songs in Unexpected Shoes.
This concert will bring both the adults and the youth group of BMTC together to perform evening of reimagined numbers from Broadway and the West End, to deliver a fresh and unusual approach to classic musical theatre songs.
So for something a little different, visit ticketsource.co.uk or call 0333 666 3366 to book tickets, which are just £15 each.
There has been some upheaval for Wombourne Players which has had to temporarily relocate from its home at Wombourne Civic Centre while its refurbishment takes place.
Undeterred, this popular drama group has hot-footed it to the local Village Hall, ready to perform Tim Frith’s comedy Sheila’s Island from November 11 to 15.
When four colleagues from the Pennine mineral water company set out on an outbound team-building exercise, they could never have imagined what lay ahead.
The play is a hilarious comedy from the writer of Calendar Girls and equally entertaining.
For tickets and more information on the venue, please visit wombourneplayers.co.uk or call 01902 881184.
Keen to keep the kids occupied this coming half-term holiday? Pop over to the Walker Theatre within Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury, where Get Your Wigle on theatre company is presenting Beauty and the Beast Junior from October 31 to November 2.
This beloved Disney classic tells the story of Belle, a bright and independent young woman, and the Beast, a prince trapped under a powerful spell. With the help of his enchanted household, Belle must look beyond the Beast’s gruff exterior to discover the kindness and heart within before time runs out.
Featuring timeless songs including Be Our Guest, Gaston, and of course the title song Beauty and the Beast, this magical production is perfect for audiences of all ages.
With stunning costumes, dazzling choreography, and a talented junior cast, this heartwarming tale of love and transformation will delight the whole family.
For tickets, visit theatresevern.co.uk or call 01743 281281.
Abbey Foregate Drama group, also based in Shrewsbury, will present a unique production of The Wind in the Willows which Alan Bennett adapted from the original in 1990 for the National Theatre.
Bennett’s version retains the familiar story of Mole, Rat, Badger, and Toad but adds a contemporary slant.
For tickets visit abbeydrama.com or email info@abbeydrama.com.
There is just one final note to say. The am dram community said a very sad farewell to Laura Leo from Leo’s Costumiers this week. Laura and her team dressed many of the amateur companies across the West Midlands and Shropshire, and she was a kind and caring soul who touched many hearts and will be sadly missed. Sleep tight dear Laura, until we meet again.
Break a leg everyone. Enjoy your am dram to the full!
